


Haunt Me

by valentineninja



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Romance, Tragedy, Tumblr Prompt, What could've been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24479053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valentineninja/pseuds/valentineninja
Summary: For the second time in his life, she slipped through his fingers and he was powerless to stop her. Originally posted to Tumblr. Warnings: mentions of character death.
Relationships: Stella Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Haunt Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I am in the process of archiving all my works, no matter how short, on this site. This was a prompt written a long time ago, but I do feel like we were robbed of these two in game.
> 
> This story was a fill for this anonymous prompt: Noctis and Stella. Haunt Me.  
> My original note: Mentions of character death and OOCness. Consider this a goodbye to original Stella(who I had been really looking forward to seeing).

Everything was falling apart around him. His family, his kingdom, his _life._ The reports coming in from the city were not the most encouraging, but he knew they needed a plan of action before returning. He would not let his kingdom fall without a fight.

A soft laugh startled him out of his thoughts and he glanced around the camp, wondering if he was losing his mind.

_“Silly prince.”_

His eyes narrowed and he glanced around at the echoing voice that sounded so familiar.

Standing, he slowly began to put distance between himself and his loyal guards and friends. The last thing he wanted was to be teased for hearing voices.

“Who’s there?” he asked, eyes adjusting to the darkening sky.

_“Have you forgotten me so easily, Prince Noctis?”_ Asked a playful voice.

She stepped out from behind a large boulder, a smile curling soft lips and giving her an amused air.

Noctis felt his throat run dry at the sight of those blue-almost violet eyes, and he took a step closer before he could stop himself.

“How are you here?” he asked, taking in the way her dress and hair ruffled gently in the wind.

_“Shouldn’t the question be_ why _am I here?”_ she asked, taking a few steps closer and circling him slowly.

“Both,” muttered the Prince, feeling like a fool. He wondered if Gladio or Prompto would come upon him speaking to himself like a lunatic… they would never let him live it down. But he couldn’t stop himself from speaking to _her._

_“You’re beginning to lose faith in yourself. Don’t.”_

“What?”

_“You are strong. The strongest of your line in centuries. You will be the one to push the darkness away and bring greatness to your kingdom. But only if you do not doubt yourself and those around you,”_ she said, glancing back toward the camp.

Noctis narrowed his eyes and stared at the grass under his boots, refusing to acknowledge her words.

_“Still the stubborn boy I knew,”_ she murmured, stepping up behind him and pressing her forehead to his back.

He stiffened and wondered how real this dream would get. Stella… the girl he had met by sheer accident at that museum… she was gone. Never again to return, to banter with him, or smile.

Noctis sighed and turned to look at her, lips thinning into a line at how close she was to him. He reached up and almost hesitantly brushed her bangs away from her face, sighing when his hand didn’t go through her.

_“I miss you.”_

How could a ghost miss him? It confused him but at the same time it made his heart beat faster to hear those words from her lips. He _did_ miss her; more than he had ever imagined. But there was no going back and no time to think about the past and what could’ve been. Now there was so much hanging in the balance, so much riding on his shoulders…

“…what if I fail them all?” the question slipped away from him as he glanced back to camp; the people who mattered the most to him.

Her eyes darted back to his and she smiled. _“You won’t.”_

So much conviction and trust in him couldn’t be real.

_“You need them and they need you. Together you can do anything. I’m sure.”_

“And you?”

Her head tilted to the side as she smiled, amused. _“Do I need you?”_

Noctis remained silent and flushed as he looked away from her.

_“I always needed you. You just never noticed.”_

There was no accusation in her voice, but he wished there had been. After all, he’d done nothing to save her.

_“Don’t blame yourself for what happened to me. Our kingdoms might have been feuding, but it was the dissenters who were responsible for my death, not you.”_

He lapsed into mournful silence as she took a step closer to him, invading his space.

_“Even though I may not be here with you physically, I will always be here whenever you need me,”_ Stella whispered, the tips of her fingers gently tapping his chest, right over his heart.

His hand moved up to cover hers, discovering that she felt warm and so very real. Despite the fact that they had always stood on opposing sides, he had always felt a rare surge of affection for her. Had always wondered what their fathers would do should they run away together and elope. But he’d never acted on his budding feelings for fear that he’d just end up hurting her.

_“I think it’s time for me to go,”_ Stella said, beginning to draw away from him.

Noctis didn’t stop her as she stepped back and turned to walk away, but his heart seemed to want to burst from his chest and go with her.

“I will always miss you,” he called after her.

Her footsteps slowed and she turned to glance at him with that half smile of hers. Her footsteps were quick and light as she darted up to him and pressed a light kiss to his lips. _“Goodbye, sweet Prince.”_

“Wait—”

But for the second time in his life, she slipped through his fingers and he was powerless to stop her.


End file.
